Christianity in Syria

Christianity in Syria

Our Lady of Saidnaya Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in the world
Total population
2 ~ 10% (2024 estimate)[1]
Religions
Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Syriac Catholic Church, Armenian Orthodox Church, Armenian Catholic Church, Maronite Church, Latin Church, Assyrian Church of the East and Protestantism
Languages
Majority: Arabic Minorities: Armenian, Aramaic (Syriac)

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Christianity in Syria (Arabic: المسيحية في سوريا) has among the oldest Christian communities on Earth, dating back to the first century AD, and has been described as a "cradle of Christianity".^[2] With its roots in the traditions of St. Paul the Apostle and St. Peter the Apostle, Syria quickly became a major center of early Christianity and produced many significant theologians and church leaders. Of the 325 bishops who took part in the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, twenty were from Syria. Over the centuries, Syrian Christians have played a vital role in shaping Christian thought and practice, contributing to the development of various liturgical traditions, monastic movements, and theological schools. St. Paul the Apostle famously converted to Christianity on the road to Damascus, and Syria has produced three Popes: Pope Anicetus (157–168 AD), Pope Sergius I (687-701),^[3] and Pope Gregory III (731–741 AD). Their legacy includes the establishment of some of the most ancient churches, monasteries, and pilgrimage sites, such as the 5th century remains of the Church of Saint Simeon Stylites, Our Lady of Saidnaya Monastery, and the Cathedral of Constantine and Helen.^[4]

However, in recent times, the Syrian Christian community has faced numerous challenges, including ongoing and severe persecution, displacement, and emigration. Christians in Syria made up about 10% of the pre-war Syrian population but now make up less than 2%, falling from 1.5 million in 2011 to just 300,000 in 2022 due to the impact of the Syrian Civil War.^[1] Christians in Syria have also been subjected to violence and discrimination by Islamic State fighters during their control of large areas of the country. Their churches have been converted into military headquarters, and their property confiscated. Persecution of Christians in Syria has further intensified since.^[5][6][7] In Aleppo, the country's second largest city, the proportion of Christian residents fell from 12% pre-war to 1.4% in 2023 with more than 20 churches damaged during the war.^[8] The city of Idlib has been almost entirely depopulated of its Christian population under Islamist rule.^[9] Some governments and organisations including the United States have claimed that the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and North Africa, especially in Syria and Iraq, constitute an act of genocide.^{[10][11][12][13][14][15]}

The country's largest Christian denomination is the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch,^[16][17] closely followed by the Syriac Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church.^[18][17] There is a small minority of Protestants in the country.^[19]